I Finally Found Harissa!

We have this lil corner store in our apartment complex, which is a total life-saver sometimes. (Like when we run out of eggs and *gasp I can't bake!) Besides the essentials, it's also got some really random stuff and over the weekend I found Harissa on the shelf and couldn't wait to try it out! In case you've never heard of it, Harissa is a spicy African condiment used a lot in Moroccan cuisine. It's bright red and usually comes in paste form. I've seen some recipes for making your own but it's got a LOT of ingredients and will go bad in about a month unlike the commercially packed tubes that keep forever. ANYWAY, I tested it out tonight with some Lamb Meatballs with Sweet Yogurt Sauce over Couscous and it's a total winner! Spicy and flavorful (and of course, Greg had to put more hot sauce on them even though they were HOT!).

Ingredients:


Meatballs:
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Harissa
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp vegetable oil


Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 c plain Greek-style yogurt
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp Harissa
1 tsp orange juice
1/2 tsp ground ginger


Couscous, for serving
Parsley, for garnishing


Prep:


1. Mix together lamb, garlic, Harissa, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, egg and breadcrumbs being careful not to overmix. Form into 4 meatballs.


2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally.


3. Meanwhile, mix all yogurt ingredients together. Serve meatballs on top of couscous with yogurt sauce drizzled on top and garnished with parsley.